We want the best for our pets – we give them love, shelter, food, water, and veterinary care. In return, they give us unconditional love and hours of enjoyment.

One thing we do not want for our pets are fleas. Fleas have made a strong come-back in many parts of the country. Fleas can irritate and threaten the health of your pet. Fleas infesting your home can make your life a circus.

Fleas are wingless insects with mouth-parts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living off the blood of mammals and birds. A common type of flea found across the U.S. is the cat flea. The cat flea’s primary host is the domestic cat, but this is also the primary flea infesting dogs in most of the world. They are pale to dark reddish-brown, 1/16 to 1/8 inch long, and flattened from side to side.

Cat flea adults normally feed on cat blood, but will feed on birds, dogs, wildlife, and even you. Some people are sensitive to flea bites and may develop itchy welts generally around the ankles.

Flea eggs and larvae are generally distributed where your pet sleeps or rests. Cat fleas are most abundant in the summer months, but can be an indoor problem year-round. Cat fleas can pass tapeworms to you or your pets.